Improvement in note-indicators for musical instruments



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. WOODS. Note-Indicator for Musical-Instruments.

No. 210,888. Patented Dec. 17,1878.

2 Sheets-Sheet, 2,

UNITED STATES PATEET @FFTGE.

(TEORGE TYOODS, OF CAMBRTDGEPORT, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN NOTE-INDICATORS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 210,885, dated December 17, 1578; application lilcd March 18, P 79.

To all about it may concern..-

Be it known that I, Gnonen Woons, of Uambridgeport, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Note- Tndicators for Musical Instruments, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the iollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in note-indicators for musical instruments, &c.; and my invention consists ofmovable sheetmusic, in combination with a stationary index or imitation key-board, or ordinary key-board, or vice versa, and suitable mechanism for its operation.

The sheet-music is divided by means of horizontal and vertical bars or lines into fields, squares, or spaces, in which the notes are contained, and the relative position of the said notes on the sheet-music indicates its key on the musical instrument for which it is written, when it is placed in its proper position with the keyboard or imitation key-board of the musical instrument, and its size indicates its length or duration during which it is to be sounded. The said bars, lines, or fields on the shectmnsie may be dispensed with, and the notes printed in their relative positions on a blank sheet to equal advantage.

To etqdain this invention and its operation more fully, I will describe it as applied. to a piano or organ, although it is equally useful for any and all other musical instruments, as well as for vocal instruction and voicetraining and singin I will also describe the invention as provided with a stationaryindex or imitation keyboard and mov ble sheetanusic, although a stationary music-sheet, combined with a movable indcx or imitation keyboard, may be used to equal advantage for various instrit ments or purposes, or combined with the ordinary key-board on musical instruments. This stationary index or imitation keyboard is made with representations of all the ditlen ent keys on the instrument, behind which index is located the rotary sheet-music roller, that is set in a rotary motion around its axis by means of any of the ordinary spring or other motors, provided with a suitable regulator, by which the proper speed is maintained, changed, and regulated, as may be desired.

To the music-roll is attached one end of the sheet-music, that is divided in vertical bands or rows in a line with the keys on the index or imitation key-board. The vertical rows on the sheet-music are divided by horizontal lines, colors, or bars in spaces representing units of time-as, for instance, each horizontal iield or row or space may represent a full, half, quarter, or more or less of a note, as may be desired.

We will suppose, in the present instance, that the horizontal rows or fields on the sheetmusic represent quarter-notes. In that case a note printed on the whole vertical extension of any square would represent that the key opposite has to be held down one-fourth ola full note. Ifone-halt'of the field is printed on, it would represent an eighth-note, and so on in proportion. This may also be accomplished by the marks of the notes only on a blank sheet without the aforesaid fields, rows, or spaces.

After the music-roll and sheet-music are set in motion, allthat the operator has to do is to put his fingers down on those keys of the instrument that correspond with the representations on the index orimitation key-board as soon as each and any of the marks on the shectmusic approach the front edge of the index, and to retain such keys down till the edge of each mark on the sheet-music disappears behind the front edge of the stationary index.

It is immaterial what kind of marks or ures 1 use on the sheet-music, or whether the fields be plain or colored, or whether such. iiel d s are used at all. One and the same sheet may be used for several different instruments, or To dili'erent parts in vocal or instrumental music, by making the notes for each instrument or for each part of vocal musicsuch as the basso, soprano, &c. of a distinct or dit i'erent color, or of a diiierent shape or figure from the others. In this case one and the same sheet and one and the same index or imitation key-board can be used for several players or singers at the same time, or both, and thus insure the advantage of all keeping accurate time together. Two or more of these note-indicators may be combined and connected togetherby suitable mechanism and operated by one and the same motor,-so as to give the correct time to each individual player or singer in choirs, schools, orchestras, 850.

On the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved noteindicator and sheet-music. Fig. 2 represents a cross-section on the line A B, shown in Fi 1; and Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal section of the rotary music-roller.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

a represents the stationary index or imita tion key-board. bis the movable sheet-music, one end of which is attached to the rotary roller 0 by means of a dowel, d, or otherwise. 0 represents a suitable guard folded down upon the sheet-music, so as to guide it smoothly toward'the'front edge of the index or imitation key-board a. b b I) represent the vertical linesor bars or rows on the sheet-music b, and b b I) represent the horizontal lines, bars, or rows on said sheet-music. b b 11' represent the note-marks on said sheet-music, the vertical extensions of which note-marks indicate the length of time in which they are to be sounded, and the horizontal positions of which indicate their positions on the musicscale. 0 represents the driving-shaft for the rollers, the latter being provided with a suitable ratchet or coupling, 0, so that the said roller may be disconnected from the drivingshaft 0 when desired, and another roller with new sheet-music connected to said shaft when a new tune or piece of musicis to be played.

Any desired mechanism may be used for imparting the proper rotary motion to the roller 0.

I have in Fi 1 shown it as consisting of an ordinary spring-case, f, cog-wheels f g h 0', fan or regulator k, and sliding stop I, in a similar manner to the mechanism used for op-.

erating music-boxes; but I do not attach any importance to this peculiar mechanism, as any of the ordinary ones may be used to equal advantage, as well as such mechanisms as are used on the spring curtain-rollers, &c.

- What I wish to secure by Letters Patent, and

tion, in combination with an imitation keyboard, or key-board, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The herein-described sheet-music 1), provided with vertical lines, bars, or rows 1) b b, horizontal lines, bars, or rows 1) b I), and note-marks b b b, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I have affixed iny signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE WOODS.

Witnesses ALBAN ANDRiiN, HENRY OHADBOURN. 

